The Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) maintains the listing of top 10 fish of each species for both Rod & Reel and Fly Fish Divisions. Each year, the LOWA Records Committee selects the outstanding submissions of the previous year. The winners receive their awards at the LOWA annual convention banquet, which takes place this Saturday night in Morgan City.
In the Fly Fish Division, Charles Miller of New Orleans, will be honored for a 3.98-pound white bass (Morone chrysops) caught in the Pearl River. It qualified for a new state record for that species.
Charles, a professor in the Department of Global Environmental Health Sciences at Tulane University, is a board member of the New Orleans Fly Fishers Club, an FFI Charter Club in the Gulf Coast Council. He is also a very active member of the Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club. In 2017, he was named “Fly Angler of the Year” by Louisiana Sportsman magazine.
Chuck caught his fish on a chartreuse/white Clouser Minnow back in December while fishing from his Hobie Outback. That same day he also caught a white bass that registered as 3rd place in the state record. Details of his trip can be read on his fishing blog, “Welcome to the Crawdad Hole”, at this link.
An Honorable Mention in the Fly Fish Division will be awarded to Dustin Semar, a native of Lake Charles, who caught a 6.66-pound Bowfin in Cameron Prairie. That fish also qualified for a new state record.
In the Rod & Reel Division, top award went to 8-year old Drew Dubuc of Metairie for a 33.90-pound Striped Bass he caught in Lake Catherine. It ranks 6th in the state record book. Honorable Mention went to Brian Neil of Metairie for a whopping 213.5-pound Big Eye Tuna caught in the Mississippi Canyon off Venice. It ranks 1st place in the state record.
